has been a long week

USAGE SUMMARY

'has been a long week' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to express exhaustion, to emphasize how tired you are after a long week. For example, "It has been a long week; I'm exhausted and ready for the weekend."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Sports

Opinion

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

"It has been a long week and that hasn't stopped.

Independent

This has been a long week for us".

The New York Times - Sports

It has been a long week for the Devils.

The New York Times - Sports

It has been a long week of playing defense for the Cain campaign, with the Libya stumble and the continued challenge of sexual harassment allegations against him.

The New York Times

NEW ORLEANS — It has been a long week of festivities, but the Super Bowl is now two days away and I can see the finish line.

The New York Times

Rest and recovery next week is huge for me, because it has been a long week and a long two weeks.

The Guardian - Sport

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

It had been a long week and I was shattered when I boarded a busy Sydney bus on Thursday afternoon.

The Guardian - Opinion

It had been a long week of 18-hour-on-their-feet work days leading up to the opening.

The New York Times - Style

One of the older women tried to admonish her, but it had been a long week of campaigning and Lee had had enough.

The New Yorker

It had been a long week for Mr. Kors, who had shown his spring collection at Bryant Park the previous day and introduced his new women's fragrance, Michael, at Saks Fifth Avenue that very afternoon.

The New York Times - Style

He hadn't even been able to get tickets to the early show at the regular theatre, which would have been preferable — it had been a long week and he was tired, and, for God's sake, who thinks they need to plan more than a day in advance to see a movie?

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "has been a long week" to express personal exhaustion or to acknowledge the difficulties experienced by a group. For example, "It has been a long week for the team, but we persevered."

Common error

Avoid saying "It will be a long week" when referring to a week that has already passed. The phrase describes a past experience, not a future expectation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "has been a long week" primarily functions as an exclamatory statement or declarative clause, expressing the speaker's subjective experience of time and exertion. It is frequently used to convey a sense of fatigue or relief that a difficult period has concluded, as demonstrated by Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Sports

20%

Opinion

20%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Science

20%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "has been a long week" is a grammatically sound and usable phrase, as affirmed by Ludwig. It serves as a common expression to convey tiredness or stress resulting from a demanding week. While it appears most frequently in news, sports and opinion contexts, its register is considered neutral, making it suitable for various settings. For more formal situations, consider alternatives such as "the past week has presented several challenges". Overall, this phrase is a valid and effective way to communicate personal exhaustion.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

It's been a tough week

Replaces "long" with "tough", emphasizing the difficulty experienced.

It's been a trying week

Substitutes "long" with "trying", highlighting the demanding nature of the week.

It's been a hectic week

Replaces "long" with "hectic", focusing on the busy and chaotic nature of the week.

This week has dragged on

Uses a different structure to convey the feeling of the week passing slowly due to difficulty.

I've had a rough week

Changes the subject to "I" and uses "rough" to describe the week's unpleasantness.

The week has been exhausting

Shifts the focus to the week's effect, describing it as exhausting.

This week has been challenging

Replaces "long" with "challenging", emphasizing the difficulties faced.

The week felt like a marathon

Uses a metaphor to illustrate the feeling of enduring a long and arduous period.

I'm worn out after this week

Focuses on the speaker's state of being worn out as a result of the week.

This week has been draining

Highlights the depleting effect of the week on the speaker's energy.

FAQs

What does it mean when someone says "has been a long week"?

It typically means the person feels tired or stressed because of the challenges or demands they faced during the week. It's a way of expressing exhaustion and a longing for rest.

What can I say instead of "has been a long week" to express tiredness?

You can use alternatives like "it's been a tough week", "I've had a rough week", or "the week has been exhausting" depending on the context.

Is it appropriate to use "has been a long week" in formal communication?

While generally acceptable, it's more suited for informal settings. In formal communication, consider more professional alternatives like "the past week has presented several challenges" or "we've experienced a demanding workload this week".

How can I use "has been a long week" in a sentence?

You can use it as a standalone statement to express your feelings (e.g., "Has been a long week!"). Or you can integrate it into a larger sentence (e.g., "It has been a long week, so I'm looking forward to the weekend").